The Girl In The Stupid Animal Print Sweater
by MandaWeasley
Summary: A one-shot. Quinn Fabray goes from hating Rachel Berry one day, to slowly finding herself falling for the girl the next. The story takes place after the "New York" episode.
1. The Girl Who Was Alone

**A/N:** A one-shot that I'm splitting into two parts. I hope you enjoy it.

_I __**do not**__ own glee or any of its characters_.

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><p>The Girl In The Stupid Animal Print Sweater<p>

_Chapter one._

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><p>I stood in front of the slightly foggy bathroom mirror, just staring at my reflection. My body was wrapped in a fluffy white towel and my dripping wet, short, blonde hair hung limp against my face and neck. I searched my face for any visible flaw but found nothing but my perfectly delicate facial features. I then removed my towel and let it drop to the bathroom floor. I stared at my body. Sure, I wasn't as physically fit as I had been before 'the pregnancy incident' but I was still in better shape than anyone else in this hick town. Well, maybe Santana Lopez's body might be a tad bit more appealing then mine but that was only because she had gotten breast implants. That cheater.<p>

I continued to stare at the mirror, my hazel eyes frantically searching for anything, any blemish, any flaw, anything that could be considered unappealing to anyone. But once again I found nothing. Every night for the past month or so I had searched myself in the mirror, looking for something unsatisfactory in my appearance. But every night I found nothing. Every time I found nothing wrong with my appearance I got the same feeling, the feeling as if my heart had dropped into the pit of my stomach… If nothing was wrong with my appearance then it had to be my personality that was unappealing. Personalities though… only unattractive people cared about that, right?

I couldn't understand it. I was beautiful, popular and intelligent. I was everything any girl my age would kill to be. Then why is it that everyone keeps leaving? Finn, Puck, Sam, and then Finn again. I don't even have any real friends anymore either; I'm completely alone. Tears started to spill out of my eyes. God, I am just so sick of crying.

I roughly wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. What was wrong with me? I'm Quinn Fabray, I'm the most popular girl at McKinley high. Yet how is it that everyone has someone who loves him or her except for me? All I wanted was someone to love me, someone to look at me and see only me. Someone who I could walk down the halls with proudly, someone who I could brag about, someone who would help make me prom queen. Because that's what I was on the inside, that's how I deserved to be treated: as a queen.

"Quinnie, are you almost ready?" The bathroom door muffled my mother's voice as she called out to me.

"Almost, I'll be down in a few more minuets" I yelled in response.

"Alright, but try to hurry, darling, you know how crowded Breadstix gets at dinner time."

I sighed then quickly started to put on my clothes.

Ever since I moved back in with my mother she insisted that every Friday night we would go out to dinner together as a sort of a bonding thing. I guess she wanted to do this because she was scared that our relationship would go back to the mess it was last year when I was pregnant or before that, even. However, I didn't mind much. I mean it's not like I had anyone to go out with on Friday nights anyways. As a matter of fact, I hardly went out at all anymore and because it was summer I didn't even have to leave the house to go to school.

I continued these thoughts of self-pity as I dried my hair and put on a light coat of makeup.

When I walked out of the bathroom, then down the stairs I noted my mother waiting by the door.

"Darling what took you so long? You where in there forever" she asked.

"Sorry I was having a wardrobe malfunction" I lied, as I flashed her my best fake smile.

She smiled back at me before looking down at my powder blue dress, the same dress that she had paid to have taken in quite a few inches to fit my now slender and most definitely not pregnant body.

"Well, you look lovely. Blue is definitely your color." She smiled at me one more time before we walked out to the car.

Just as she had predicted, Breadstix was packed with people but we somehow managed to get a small table to ourselves.

I looked around the restaurant as my mother scanned the menu. I noticed a few familiar faces, mostly people I've seen in the market or kids from my school whose name I didn't know. But one person stood out from the others, she stood out so much it was as if my mind had planted a giant spotlight on her. The girl was my age and was sitting three tables away from my mother and I. She was chatting animatedly with two older males who looked as if they where in their late thirties or early forties, she looked completely immersed in the conversation so they where probably talking about some famous Broadway singer, some stupid Grammy winner or the girl's favorite subject; herself. I knew this because I knew the girl, I had known her for almost two years now. Her name was Rachel Berry and she was the girl who ruined my life.

She was the girl who caught Finn's attention when he was with me, she was the one who opened her big fat mouth and told Finn that Puck was the one who had gotten me pregnant not him, she was the talented one with the fantastic singing voice, she was the one who got the guy, she was the one got all the solos in glee club, she was the one who got everything that should have been mine.

She wasn't even pretty, you know. She was just average looking and she dressed like a blind toddler trapped in a grandmother's body.

"What can I get for you ladies?" The waitress's words brought me back to my senses and I tore my gaze from Rachel and back to the menu.

"Yes, I'll have the spaghetti" I decided to go for the first dish I read on the menu.

The entire time we where eating I engaged in conversation with my mom, telling her about an article I read in a magazine about skin care and she talked to me about things that where going on at her work. By the time we had finished eating and the waitress had left us the bill I needed to use the restroom.

"I'll meet you by the car, I have to go to the restroom before we go." I announced before walking off.

I opened the door and walked into the women's bathroom, and there she was.

Rachel Berry, stood by a sink washing her hands.

My first instinct was to run out of the restroom before she noticed me but I couldn't do that. So instead I held my head up high and walked further into the room.

The moment I did this Rachel turned and spotted me. I didn't acknowledge her or even make eye contact. Instead, I just walked into one of the stalls without saying a word.

When I finished using the restroom I opened the stall door and walked over to the sink. Rachel was still there and she was staring at me as I started to wash my hands.

"So you're not even going to acknowledge me?" She asked.

I took a deep breath before I turned to face her.

She was wearing one of her signature animal print sweaters with a skirt and a pair of white leggings. Her soft, straight brown hair hung loosely down to her chest and her eyes, which where the exact color of her hair, were staring intensely at me.

"I'm acknowledging you now aren't I?" I rolled my eyes at her.

"Look Quinn I know we have had our differences but I don't want to fight with you. Can't we just be friends?" She took a step closer.

No, go away. Don't come any closer.

"I'm sorry but I don't want to be friends with someone like you." I said before I turned to walk out the door but before I could leave the room she grabbed my arm gently.

"Quinn don't just walk away." Her voice was filled with pity.

It felt as if my skin was burning under her touch.

I yanked my arm out of her grasp. I didn't need her pity or her friendship because this was all her fault in the first place.

"Do not touch me!" I snapped at her.

She took a step back.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have grabbed you. I just really need you to listen to me, Quinn. We can't keep doing this. I'm tired of fighting with you, we can't keep this up anymore. We have to stop, for the sake of the glee club. I don't want any more tension in the club. If we don't work well together it could cost us Sectionals." she argued.

So that's what this was about. I should have known. She only wanted us to get along so we could win Sectionals.

"I'm not fighting with you Rachel, I just don't want anything to do with you."

Then I walked out of the restroom and out to the car, where my mother was waiting for me.

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><p>The next few days my mood started to get worse, I slept most of the day and when I wasn't sleeping I was up in my room reading magazines or books, just keeping to myself.<p>

On Tuesday afternoon I walked into my kitchen to make myself something to eat when I noticed my mother leaning over the sink washing dishes.

"Mom, why aren't you at work?" I asked curiously.

"I left work early, dear. I thought we could have lunch together." She smiled.

I shrugged then walked over to the fridge and started to pull out stuff to make sandwiches with.

"Quinnie, can I ask you something?" she said as she finished rinsing off the last dish in the sink.

"Sure?"

"Honey, I'm a bit worried. You don't go out much anymore and you seam a bit mopey lately. I think you should get out more and spend some time with your friends."

I was putting mayonnaise on one of the bread slices, and I didn't even bother looking at her when I responded.

"Well, I don't want to go out, mom."

She then walked over to the table and sat down as she watched me make the sandwiches.

"Then maybe you should do something here that's more productive, or have some sort of creative outlet."

"What did you have in mind?" I asked.

"Well, I know you like singing and you're in your school's glee club, so maybe you should take some vocal lessons or go to music lessons?" she suggested.

I thought about it for a moment. Well, it would give me something to do and it might even help our chances at sectionals this year. Also, if I do vocal lessons and my singing improves even more they might give me the solo this year instead of Rachel.

"We could do that…" I said slowly.

At my words, a big smile spread across my mom's face.

"Excellent! I'll give your music teacher a call today and ask if he could tutor you or if he could recommend anyone else for the job."

A few hours later my mother came into my room and announced to me that she had called Mr. Schue and he said that he knew someone who would be willing to tutor me three days a week for the rest of the summer and that he would send them over to my house early tomorrow afternoon.

The rest of the day went by in a flash and before I knew it the next day had already come. I was sitting on my bed reading when I heard the doorbell go off.

I walked downstairs curious as to who Mr. Schue asked to tutor me, hoping that it wasn't the ex glee club teacher Sandy. That guy gave me the creeps. Yes, he did give our club the money to go to nationals. But still, he was weird and I hoped that it wasn't him on my doorstep.

I opened the door without bothering to look through the peephole first, which turned out to be a mistake. Had I looked though the peephole first I would have not bothered opening the door in the first place and instead I would have gone straight back up to my room and stayed there. But it was too late and I had already opened the door when I saw that the person standing on the threshold was none other than Rachel Berry, ugly animal print sweater and all.


	2. The Tutor Who Cared

**A/N:** and here we are, chapter two already! I hope you all enjoy it, some feedback would be greatly appreciated.

I** do not** own glee or any of the characters from the show.

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><p>The Girl In the Stupid Animal Print Sweater<p>

_Chapter two._

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><p>"Are you lost, Rachel?" I snapped at her.<p>

"Of course I'm not lost. I'm here because Mr. Schue asked me to be your music tutor." she rolled her eyes at me as she spoke.

"Just forget it OK, I don't need you to tutor me."

I started to pull the door shut but she grabbed it and held it open before I could close it all the way.

"Can you just stop this? You're acting like a spoiled brat!" Her voice was filled with annoyance.

"Excuse me? I'm not the spoiled one, you are. Now if you don't mind I would appreciate it if you let go of my door so I could slam it in your face because if I have to continue looking at you for another minute I might not be able to refrain myself from slapping you again." Anger was starting to bubble up in me, and the urge to hit her grew stronger after ever word I spoke.

An emotion flashed through Rachel's eyes, it was an emotion I couldn't quite place.

"You wouldn't hit me again…" Her voice was soft, almost a whisper but it felt as if she had screamed the words to me.

She was right, though, no matter how much I wanted to I knew that I wouldn't hit her again. Never. I remembered the feeling of intense guilt I felt after I had slapped her at prom, and just the memory of it brought a nauseating feeling to the pit of my stomach. That time I had slapped her hard but she didn't yell at me or hit me back. Instead, she comforted me, told me exactly what I needed to hear: that I was more then just my looks.

"Fine, come in" I released my grip on the door and gestured for her to enter my house.

She walked in, shutting the door behind her.

"Just don't talk to me about anything that's not music related, and the moment this tutoring stuff is over I'm going back to ignoring your existence." I said as I started to lead her upstairs and into my bedroom.

"Fair enough." she said as she looked around my room as if she was taking in every detail of it. For some reason that made me slightly uncomfortable.

"You can sit." I gestured towards my bed, which was smack in the middle of the room and covered with a pale pink, floral patterned comforter.

Rachel sat on the edge of my bed but I remained standing, leaning up against my white vanity that was placed in one of the corners of my room.

"Well, are we going to start the lesson or not?" I asked annoyed.

For the next hour Rachel talked about the history of show choir. I was trying to pay attention but I just couldn't. All I could think about was how this was the girl who ruined everything for me, she was the reason why I was alone.

Rachel left about an hour later and it felt as if someone had lifted a huge weight off my shoulders. Just being in the same room with that girl was mentally exhausting for me.

She was going to come back the day after tomorrow and I couldn't help but wish she came down with the flu or something so she would have to stay at home…

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><p>The night before Rachel was supposed to come over again I was lying in my bed trying to get some sleep, but I couldn't because it was one of those nights. One of those nights where I just lay in bed and the depressing thoughts just flood though my mind. I was laying face down into my pillow squeezing my eyes shut trying to force the thoughts out of my mind so I could sleep, but of course that never worked. Because nothing ever worked for me, and nothing ever would. At times like this most people would call a friend or their significant other to be comforted and cheered up, but who could I call? Who would even care? No one. Hot tears started to fall from my eyes. I angrily pushed my face into the pillow and internally started screaming at them to stop but I just cried harder instead. I am so sick of crying and feeling sorry for myself. I am so tired of being alone and I am so tired of feeling tired. I knew that if I didn't stop crying now my eyes would be puffy tomorrow and everyone would be able to tell I had been crying but I just couldn't stop. I laid like this for another few hours until exhaustion took over and I feel asleep.<p>

The next morning when the doorbell rang I opened it up to let Rachel in, avoiding her eyes as I walked with her up to my room.

"Quinn, are you alright?" She asked as we entered my bedroom.

"I'm fine" I said quickly, still avoiding her eyes.

"Alright…." She said sceptically.

I watched her silently as she started to pull the music sheet out of the bag she brought with her. When she turned back around to face me I quickly turned away to avoid her. I wasn't quick enough and our eyes met. It was just for a few seconds, but that was all it took for her to notice.

"Quinn, your eyes are all red! Have you been crying?" She took a steep towards me.

No, don't notice. I don't want you of all people to notice!

"What? No, I just have allergies." I looked at her like she was a complete idiot for even suggesting that I had been crying.

"You're lying. I can tell. What's wrong?" She asked her voice heavy with concern.

No, stop.

"I'm not lying, can you just stop it so we can continue this lesson and you can leave?" I snapped.

"Quinn something's clearly upsetting you, I don't understand why you're pretending everything's fine" she pushed.

"Rachel, just drop it."

Why did she even care? It was none of her business. Why did she keep pushing this when it was of no concern to hers?

"No, I won't drop it. What's wrong with you Quinn?" Her brown eyes flashed with determination, and at that moment I knew she wouldn't stop trying to figure out what was wrong until I gave up and told her. Well, if that's what she wanted then fine.

"You want to know what's bothering me? You, you're what's bothering me. You in your stupid animal print sweater, you and your stupid talent. Just everything about you! You just come into my life and take everything from me. You get everything I wanted, everything I worked so hard for and you get it all without even trying. You get the solos, you get the boy, and then you get everyone in Glee club to just fucking love you. Then you come to my house and just rub it all in my face; that you're so happy and I'm stuck here alone and miserable!" My voice grew louder with every word I spoke and no matter how much my brain told my mouth to shut up, the words just continued to pour from my mouth like vomit. And before I knew it I was crying.

Crying again, crying like always.

I covered my face with my hands as I sobbed and turned to face away from a shocked looking Rachel, trying to hold onto the little dignity I had left.

I expected her to either tell me I was getting what I deserved, tell me that it was karma for being so horrible to her when we first met, when she was the loser and I was the popular girl. I thought she was going to make some smart comment or just walk out and leave my house. But she didn't do either of those things. Instead, she walked over to me and did something that took me by complete surprise.

She hugged me.

The moment I felt her arms around my shoulders anger filled me. Why was she doing this? Why was she trying to comfort me? I don't want her pity!

I jerked away from her and out of her arms.

"Don't. Just leave!" I said in between sobs.

Then I waited. I waited for her to walk out, to leave, just like everyone else in my life had before her.

But she didn't. She didn't leave, instead she just wrapped her arms around me again and this time when I tried to pull away she held onto me tighter so I couldn't push her away.

So I gave in. I threw my arms around her and started sobbing into her neck. Sobbing for all those nights I spent alone in my bed crying, sobbing for all the people I've lost, sobbing for all the things I wanted but didn't have. And she just stood there with me gently whispering how everything was going to get better, how everything was going to be okay. And in that moment I couldn't help but maybe believe her…

When I finally calmed down and stopped crying I walked out of Rachel's arms.

"I'm sorry… I feel better now, so you can go home now if you want" I said softly.

She looked at me with her deep brown eyes and for the first time I didn't feel any trace of hatred or anger when our eyes meet.

"I think you should really talk about this with someone, Quinn" she said in a kind voice.

"Yeah, well, I have no one to talk to" I broke our eye contact and stared down at my hands instead.

"What about Brittany and Santana?" she asked.

"They are too focused on each other right now, they don't want to hear about my problems. They only care about each other, not me."

"Well I know I'm not your favorite person but you can talk to me if you want." Her voice was low and she was speaking slowly as if she was scared that one wrong word would send me off the edge again.

"Why are you doing this Rachel? You hate me" I finally lifted my eyes back up to hers, to show her I wanted a serious answer.

"I don't hate you Quinn. You hate _me._" She didn't even hesitate at all when she said it. Because it was completely true. Even after all the horrible things I'd done to her she had never hated me.

"I just feel so alone sometimes, you know." I admitted to her as I walked over and sat down on the edge of my bed.

She followed me over to the bed and took a seat right next to me. She turned her head so she was looking at me, and then just sat there waiting for me to continue.

"I used to have everything. I was head cheerleader, I had the popular jock boyfriend, two best friends who listened to anything I said, and then one day it was just all gone. I had lost Finn from the moment he meet you, but at least I still had my popularity. But then the incident with puck happened and it was all gone. I knew I was going to lose everything and I couldn't do anything to stop it, I just had to sit back and watch it happen." I was starting to choke up a bit so I paused for a few moments to collect myself.

Rachel didn't say anything yet. She just stood there looking at me with her deep brown eyes, and an encouraging look on her face.

So I continued.

"Then last year after I had lost everything, little by little I started to get everything back… I wasn't pregnant anymore, I got back on the cheerios, I was dating Sam… But then when Sue made us choose between the Glee club and the cheerios I don't know what came over me. I went and made the stupid decision to stick with the Glee club. But even then it wasn't too bad, I still had Sam and my looks. But then you and Finn broke up and he was available again… and I don't know what came over me but I ran back into his arms. But then it happened again. You did it again. You made Finn fall for you and because of that I didn't get to become prom queen, because of that he left me alone. All because of you. I tried my hardest to work things out with him but just one glance from you and he went running." Before I even noticed it I was crying again.

"And now I'm alone, and I have no one to love me, no one to talk to, and no one to stay by my side." My crying was starting to get out of control again.

"Quinn…" For some strange reason my tears stopped at the sound of Rachel's voice.

"I'm so sorry" She breathed out the words so softly it was almost a whisper.

"I was selfish and only thought about how I wanted Finn, I never thought about how it was affecting you." She looked at me, her eyes filled with pity.

God, why did she have to look at me like that. I didn't need her pity.

"You don't have to apologize Rachel, it's not like you meant for it to happen like this. You shouldn't feel sorry for me" I wiped my eyes dry with the back of my hand as I spoke.

"But I am sorry. I really am, but I don't think you should push the blame all on you and me. You shouldn't be beating yourself up like this. You need to let things out sometimes, you need to talk to someone when you're feeling upset or down."

"Yeah but don't you see Rachel, I don't have anyone to talk to. I don't have anyone." My voice sounded almost desperate for some reason, pleading for help.

"Well, you're talking to me right now, aren't you?" She flashed me a small smile.

It was weird the way she had said that, as if it was the most simple thing it the world.

When I didn't answer her she just smiled at me and placed her hand on my shoulder briefly before standing up. I noticed again that my skin felt as if it was burning with the contact of her hand.

"I guess I should get going now, you're obviously in no shape to have music tutoring today so I'll come back tomorrow when you're feeling better." She then turned around and left.

And the funny thing is, I had confidence that she really would come back. And that's because she always did. No matter how mean I was or how cruel I treated her in the past she always did come back. Even after I took Finn from her, even after I slapped her at prom, even after I called her names and said mean things to her. For some reason she would always be willing to befriend me in the end.

Rachel Berry, the girl in the stupid animal print sweater, was the only one who had never left me.

For some reason that thought gave me a strange feeling inside, a feeling as if someone had tied a tight band around my heart.

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><p><em><strong>Edit:<strong>_ I most likely will **not** be continuing this fic. It was more of a one-shot that I ended up splitting into two parts, if that makes any sense. I might write more for it in the future, but for now I would rather leave it as it so I'm able to work on other things.


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